bobdina
11-28-2009, 05:29 PM
Obama’s hopes of 10,000 more Nato troops to join Afghanistan surge ‘are unrealistic’
Michael Evans, Defence Editor
Nato countries are struggling to muster the few thousand extra troops that America hopes will accompany about 30,000 US reinforcements likely to be promised by President Obama next week.
Reports from Washington that Nato partners are being encouraged to provide an additional 10,000 troops for Afghanistan were dismissed in European capitals as unrealistic. “It’s more likely to be in the region of 5,000 and they will be an assortment of penny packets from different nations,” one senior diplomatic source said.
Nato is to hold a conference in Mons, Belgium, on December 7, by which time the individual nations will be in a position to see what is required.
The US President is to make his announcement at West Point Military Academy on Tuesday, bringing to an end more than two months of deliberations in Washington, after the delivery of the Afghanistan strategy outlined by General Stanley McChrystal. He had hoped for another 40,000 troops.
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The reinforcements now being discussed include offers or potential offers from Britain, Turkey, Italy, Poland, Spain, New Zealand, Georgia, Columbia, South Korea, Japan, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and possibly Germany.
Britain has already said that 500 troops from the Royal Welsh Regiment are on standby to go to Helmand province, and Turkey is sending another 800. Germany might deploy an extra 120, New Zealand is sending its version of the SAS, Spain and Italy have not discounted deploying more and the non-Nato nations are hinting at small troop deployments.
France remains adamant that its 3,750-man force will not be increased, while other alliance members are planning to withdraw troops. Canada, with 2,800 combat-proven troops, is still committed to pulling out by the end of 2011. The Netherlands is also discussing withdrawal.
Alliance sources said that even with the new US and other troops, there might still be a shortfall in the numbers needed to train the Afghan security forces.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6934147.ece
Michael Evans, Defence Editor
Nato countries are struggling to muster the few thousand extra troops that America hopes will accompany about 30,000 US reinforcements likely to be promised by President Obama next week.
Reports from Washington that Nato partners are being encouraged to provide an additional 10,000 troops for Afghanistan were dismissed in European capitals as unrealistic. “It’s more likely to be in the region of 5,000 and they will be an assortment of penny packets from different nations,” one senior diplomatic source said.
Nato is to hold a conference in Mons, Belgium, on December 7, by which time the individual nations will be in a position to see what is required.
The US President is to make his announcement at West Point Military Academy on Tuesday, bringing to an end more than two months of deliberations in Washington, after the delivery of the Afghanistan strategy outlined by General Stanley McChrystal. He had hoped for another 40,000 troops.
Related Links
* Germany at war between Soft and Hard Power
* Germany's top soldier quits over airstrike
The reinforcements now being discussed include offers or potential offers from Britain, Turkey, Italy, Poland, Spain, New Zealand, Georgia, Columbia, South Korea, Japan, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and possibly Germany.
Britain has already said that 500 troops from the Royal Welsh Regiment are on standby to go to Helmand province, and Turkey is sending another 800. Germany might deploy an extra 120, New Zealand is sending its version of the SAS, Spain and Italy have not discounted deploying more and the non-Nato nations are hinting at small troop deployments.
France remains adamant that its 3,750-man force will not be increased, while other alliance members are planning to withdraw troops. Canada, with 2,800 combat-proven troops, is still committed to pulling out by the end of 2011. The Netherlands is also discussing withdrawal.
Alliance sources said that even with the new US and other troops, there might still be a shortfall in the numbers needed to train the Afghan security forces.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6934147.ece